Teachers, hospital and children's home staff can all be prosecuted for entering into sexual relationships with under-18s in their care. But under current legislation youth workers will not face criminal charges for the same offence.
According to David Whewell, chair of the Confederation of Heads of Young People's Services (Chyps), this needs to change.
Whewell has written to the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) asking for the Sexual Offences Act 2003 to be strengthened to ensure youth workers who knowingly undertake sexual relationships with under-18s in their charge are punished.
Tracie Trimmer-Platman, a senior lecturer for youth and community work at the University of East London, believes the oversight is damaging and needs clarification.
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